Golden Age Weaponsmiths F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (Block One & Two):

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet replaces the F-14D Tomcat in United
States Naval service starting in Nineteen-Ninety Nine with the last Tomcats
being retired in United States service in Two Thousand Six. There was a
far amount of criticism of the new fighter however it was an excellent
aircraft. It served for three decades before being retired. In addition
to being operated by the United States Navy, the fighters were operated
by the Australian Air Force.

Upgrades to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet includes the engines being modified
for better fuel efficiency as well as being certified for Bio-Fuels. There
was also modernized “Block Three” model which incorporated conformal fuel
tanks and a pod to carry ordnance while not increasing the aircraft's radar
cross signature. They were not bought in as large numbers as the Block
One and Two versions. It was not until the revolution in new materials
making the fighters obsolete were the Super Hornets retired.

About a year after Golden Age Weaponsmiths found the F-14D Tomcat and
F/A-18C/D Hornet fighters, they got word that there was another cache of
F/A-18C/D fighters. Considering their success in selling the F/A-18C/D,
they were in a hurry to get the location of the cache. When they arrived
there, they received a pleasant surprise: instead of the F/A-18C/D Hornet
fighters that they already had, they had found a batch of the rather more
advanced F/A-18E/F or “Super Hornet” fighters and a smaller number of EA-18G
Growler electronic warfare aircraft.

It was found that the Super Hornet was more structurally sound than
the Hornet, and also could carry more ordnance with eleven hard points
instead of nine, had a better range, lower radar cross signature, and slightly
higher top speed with more powerful engines, at no loss of maneuverability,
even though it was almost 25 percent larger than the Hornet. It had a much
more powerful actively scanned array radar system than the F/A-18C/D Hornet.
The conversion that Golden Age Weaponsmiths performed upon these planes
was ultimately much the same as that done on the Hornet and other aircraft,
only the Super Hornet was capable of receiving a bit more armor than the
Hornet, and as a result has a slightly better survival capability.

This fighter is capable of making carrier landing and takeoff and has
a tail hook for the purpose of carrier landings. Just like it's slightly
less powerful brother, the F/A-18 Hornet, the Super Hornet has sold very
well. It is even more flexible than its smaller brother, and has better
survivability and a better maintenance record, due to the improvements
in the design. As a matter of fact, the engineers of Golden Age Weaponsmiths
were surprised to find that the Super Hornet had forty percent LESS structural
parts than the Hornet, while the airframe was actually stronger. The Super
Hornet would likely sell better than its smaller brother if it were not
for the simple fact that Golden Age Weaponsmiths has found far less Super
Hornets than normal Hornets.

Only a handful of the Growler version of Super Hornet have been found.
The Growler retains most of the components of the Super Hornet including
the radar system and engines. The main addition is extra electronics and
most of the ordnance hard points is usually replaced by jamming pods. The
jamming aircraft has been found useful for many roles and most have been
sold to Mercenary companies with large air forces.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was an instant favorite when Golden Age Weaponsmiths
started to sell it, because although it is in a lot of respects a better
aircraft than the Hornet, it costs only half a million credits extra. The
Coalition bought a small number of the “Super Hornets” to get aircraft
strength up but they are planned with newer aircraft as soon as possible.
The Growlers sell for much more due to the jamming pods and sell for around
ten million credits.

Considering the success that Golden Age Weaponsmiths has had in selling
the F/A-18C/D Hornet, and the few F/A-18E/F Super Hornets that they have
found, there are some in the company’s management that are pushing to actually
start manufacturing Super Hornets. While the E/A-18G Growlers are quite
popular as well, many members of the company’s management sees them as
selling only a relatively limited group of customers.

Notes:[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash
[2] Destruction of rudders or one elevator will still allow the fighter
to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but the
fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting
rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable
and pilot must eject to survive.
[3] The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighter’s top speed
by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10%
penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft
to crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or pilot can choose to
eject.
[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down
completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.

Speed:Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and
landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when
traveling and not on take off or landing. Has a tail hook for carrier landings
and designed to be catapult launched.
Flying: The “Block One” can reach a top speed of Mach 1.8 (1,159.0
knots / 1385.2 mph/2221.8 kph) on full afterburner (the fighter can only
last a few minutes at that speed and consumes most of the fuel.) Top speed
is reduced by about 10% when fully loaded. The fighter’s normal cruise
speed is about 400 knots (460.6 mph / 741.3 kph) but varies on situation.
The fighter has a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 m)
Range: 1,326 nautical miles (1527 miles / 2,457.4 kilometers)
with no external ordnance load on internal fuel only. Can carry up to five
external 480 gallon tanks in place of ordnance (Centerline and Wing hard
points.) Each extends range by 130 nautical miles (149.7 miles / 240.9
kilometers.) Normally a maximum of three are carried unless in the refueling
role. Reduce aircraft's range by 15% if partially loaded (two long range
missiles, four medium range missile or eight short range missiles, or more)
and by 25% if fully loaded. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet can be refueled
in the air.

One (1) M61A2 20 mm Vulcan Cannon: This is the original Pre-Rifts
cannon mounted in the nose of the fighter. Lighter version of the cannon
design carried on the original F/A-18 Hornet, the F-14 Tomcat, the F-15
Eagle, and the F-16 Falcon although otherwise extremely similar. They have
replaced the standard ammo with mega damage, armor piercing ramjet ammunition
produced by Wellington Industries which allows the aircraft to hold it
own against other Rifts aircraft. The gun mount is controlled by the fighters
pilot in both the single seat and two seat variants.
Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
Mega Damage: 1D6x10 for a burst of 30 round, 2D4 for each round.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of
the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: 570 rounds (19 bursts)

Eleven (11) Hard Points: The Super Hornet has a total of
eleven hard points to carry ordinance. The aircraft has one hard point
on the wing tips, three on each of the wings, one hard point on either
side of the fuselage, and one centerline. Below is a list of hard points
and the loads that they can carry. Missiles, rocket packs, and bombs can
be mixed or matched but all ordnance on a hard point must be the same type.
The missile pod is only carried on the central hard point.
Centerline Hard Point: Fuel tanks, missiles/bombs (one long
range /heavy, two medium range/medium, or four short range/light each.)
Originally designed to carry missile pod, heavy bombs, or fuel tanks.
Outer Fuselage Hard Points (2): Missiles only (one medium range
missile or two short range missiles each.) Originally designed to carry
the Sparrow and AMRAAM missiles.
Inner Wing Hard Points (2): Fuel tanks, towed decoy, rocket
packs, or missiles/bombs (one long range/heavy, two medium range/medium,
or four short range/light each.) Originally designed to carry fuel tanks,
heavy bombs, JSOW`s, Harpoons, HARMs, Mavericks, Sparrows, AMRAAMs, and
Sidewinder missiles.
Middle Wing Hard Points (2): Fuel tanks, towed decoy, rocket
packs, or missiles/bombs (one long range /heavy, two medium range/medium,
or four short range/light each.) Originally designed to carry fuel tanks,
heavy bombs, Harpoons, HARMs, Mavericks, Sparrows, AMRAAMs, and Sidewinder
missiles.
Outer Wing Hard Points (2): Towed decoy, rocket packs, or missiles/bombs
(one medium range/medium, or two short range/light each.) Originally designed
to carry HARMs, Mavericks, Sparrows, AMRAAMs, and Sidewinder missiles.
Wing Tip Hard Points (2): Towed decoy or missiles (one medium
range missile or two short range missiles each.) Originally designed to
carry the Sidewinder and AMRAAM missiles.

Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point
must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided
bombs can be carried. In two pilot versions, missiles are controlled by
either the pilot or the weapons officer.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile
and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (See
revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See
revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped
one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one
attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of
ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley.)
Payload: Varies by hard point (see above - all ordnance on a
hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance).

Mini-Missile Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. The mini
missile pods are normally carried for ground strafing, anti-troop, and
anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma,
or fragmentation mini-missiles. In two pilot versions, mini missile pods
are controlled by the pilot.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles
only (See revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (See
revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Each pod can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys
of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or sixteen (16 - all.) and can be linked
with other mini missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as
one attack no matter how many missiles in volley.)
Payload: Each pod carries sixteen (16) mini-missiles.

Towed Decoys (4): The pod takes place of all ordnance on
the hard point. The aircraft can carry a special pod that carries four
advanced towed decoy drones. These drones are dragged about 328 feet (100
meters) behind the aircraft on a thin cable. Each is a specially designed
radar lure that creates a radar image to mimic the aircraft. If decoys
are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired. Rifts Earth decoy
systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World weapons due to technological
difference.
M.D.C.: 5 each
Effects: The decoy has an 65% chance of fooling ordinary non
military radars and non smart guided missiles, the decoy has a 35% chance
of fooling military level radars (like those of the Coalition), and the
decoy has a 10% chance of fooling advanced military radars (Like those
of the New Navy and Triax) and smart missiles.
Range: Not Applicable although the decoy is deployed 328 feet
(100 meters) from the aircraft
Rate of Fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires 15
seconds to deploy (Reel Out) another decoy
Payload: Four (4) decoys each pod.

One (1) Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser: Use the same
effects as the TRIAX model. However, each time the system is engaged, the
system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares. Rifts Earth decoy systems are
assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological
difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls
for smart missiles.)
Effect:

Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that
fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee
attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee
rounds.
Payload: 25 chaff, 50 flares. Each time the system is engaged,
the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares.

Special Equipment:The equipment of the fighter has been upgraded but many of the original
systems are still on the fighter. Consider the fighter to carry all standard
equipment that robot vehicles carry (not including loudspeaker and microphone)
plus the following extra systems:

Stealth Feature: The F/A-18E/F fighter has moderate stealth feature
and has a -40% to be detected because of its stealth. While the aircraft
remains hard to detect on radar, the fighter’s external ordnance is easy
to detect (and the fighter as a result) unless the ordnance is designed
from radar absorbing materials as well. As well, the ordnance pod carries
ordnance without increasing the fighter’s radar cross signature. Reduce
aircrafts stealth by 5% for every hard point carrying ordinance. For
example, if two of the hard points are carrying ordinance the aircrafts
would give a -30% penalty to be detected (40%-10%=30%)
Go to General
Detection Penalties for more information on penalties and bonuses to use
with stealth.

AN/APG 79 AESA Radar: Medium range actively scanned array radar
capable of tracking both air targets and ground targets. The radar system
also has terrain following capacity. The fighter can track up to 48 targets
simultaneously and can target and fire on up to 12 targets simultaneously.
On the FA-18F variant with, with a crew of two, the weapon officer frees
the pilot from controlling the missiles so he can retain his full attacks.
Range: 230.3 miles (200 nautical miles/ 370.6 kilometers)

Internal Active Jamming Gear: Causes -25% to detection but when
it is active, other vehicles/ bases can detect that it is jamming, and
some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4
penalty to all radar guided weapons.

FLIR: Forward Looking Infrared. Allows pilot and weapons officer
to get visuals on targets at night.

Refueling Rig:Only carried when acting in the “tanker” role.
Usually five fuel tanks are also carried. In this role, the fighter
can fully refuel a single F/A-18 Super Hornet or may “Top Off” or partially
refuel a number of fighters.

Combat Bonuses:

+1 to Strike with 20 mm Gun and Mini-Missile Launchers.
+2 to dodge
+5 to dodge while traveling over 250 mph